Pelen smith



ELECTRODE. APPLICATION man JAN. 1. 191a.

Patented July 22, 1919.

5' G C. a mmnon l YWWW A ITORNE Y5 as copper, from UNITED STATES ELIAS ANTI-ION CAPPELEN SMITH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

' ELECTRODE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 22, 1919.

. Application filed January 7, 1918. Serial No. 210,740.

declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

The electrolytic deposition of metals, such acid solutions, such as sulfate solutions, requires, for its successful practice, that the anodes utilized shall be resistant to the acid liquor of the electrolyte and to the corroding effect of the electro lytic operation; and, also, that the anode itself shall not, because of such solution or corrosion, contaminate the electrolyte to the prejudice of the electrolytic deposition.

en the electro-deposition takes place from electrolytes containing oxidizing agents, such as nitric acid or chlorin or ferric 'sulfate, the anodes are required to have a correspondingly increased resistance to corrosion thereby. Anodes of lead or antimonial lead, such as are commonly used in electro-deposition from acid electrolytes, and which are resistant to corrosion in the absence of such oxidizing agents, are rapidly corroded when such oxidizing agents are present, with a resulting short life of the anodes and contaminationof the electrolyte.

The present invention is based on the discovery that anodes of silicon iron, of proper silicon content, are resistant, not only to acid electrolytes, but also to corrosion, when used as anodes for eleotro-deposition from acid electrolytes, even where the electrolyte contains appreciable amounts of oxidizing agents, such as nitric acid and chlorin.

The silicon iron utilized in the production of the anodes of the present invention may contain, for example, 14 to 15% of silicon, although the proportions are capable of some variation, 6. between 12 and 20 per cent. If the silicon low, the anodes become less resistant; while if the silicon content becomes too high, the anodes become brittle and the voltage becomes excessive. The silicon iron may contain not only silicon and iron, but it may contain other ingredients provided they are not prejudicial to the rp'sistivity of the anode to electrolytic anodic corrosion.

content becomes too Silicon iron of the composition referred to is hard, and difficult to work or machine. If the anodes made therefrom with detachable clamps forleads, an excesssive amount of current is lost due to the drop in voltage at the clamp. I have found,

owever, that the silicon iron. although of high melting point, can nevertheless be provided with conductive leads, for example,

of copper, when the anodes are produced by a casting operation; and that an integral union between the copper lead and the silicon iron of the anode can be thus produced. As the result of this construction, the drop 1n voltage and accompanying loss in power at the contacts or leads can be very materially reduced, so that the electrodes are well adapted for use for conn'nercial purposes, without excessive power consumption.

The silicon iron anodes of the present in vention, with the copper leads cast therein, may be, for example, of a size of about four feet in length, 4% inches wide, and one inch thick, with two copper leads of about onequarter inch in diameter cast therein at one end.

The anodes may thus be cast in a sand mold with the copper leads arranged in the bot-tom of the mold and with chill plates at the bottom of the mold to chill that portion of the anode adjacent to the leads and thereby prevent melting of the copper. The melting point of the copper conductive leads is lower than the melting point of-the silicon iron, and the rapid ('OOlQIg and consequent solidification of the portions of the molten silicon iron in contact with and adjacent to the conductive leads, as a result of the use of chill plates, prevents the melting of the metal of the conductive leads during the casting operation.

The conductive leads are thus embedded in the cast silicon iron anode and, while in intimate mechanical and electrical contact therewith, are physically separate and distinct therefrom.

An anode illustrative of the present invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a series of five'anodes spaced apart as in an instance of actual operation. Fig. 2 is a side view of one of the anodes; Fig. 3 is atop View of the anodes of Fig. 1; and Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively side and edge detail views of one of the copper leads.

In Fig. 1 a series of anodes 1, 2, 3, l and are provided 5 is shown arranged as they are supported from a suitable support (not shown) during the electrolytic operation. Each of the anodes is provided with two copper contacts (5 cast, therein, these contacts having one end 7 embedded and cast in the anode and the other end 8 flattened and provided with a. hole 9 for connection with the current and with the support.

The anodes at their lower ends maybe prvided nit h holes 10 which may be made therein durlng the casting operation; and a fiber or wooden bar 11 may be arranged in these holes for assisting in keeping the anodes properly spaced apart and in alinement when used.

\Vith the anodes of the present invention, it is possible to distribute the current evenly to the electrolyte, with the avoidance of excessive losses such as would be involved with anodes having poor contacts. andavith a minimum corrosion of the anodes during the electrolysis.

The resistance of the anodes of the pres ent invention -to corrosion, when used as anodes, is such that they may be used for considerable periods of time, for example, as anodes in the electrolytic decomposition of copper from sulfate solutions, even where the solutions contain appreciable amounts of I nitric. acid or chlorin.

I claim:

1. An electrode composed of cast silicon iron having a conductivele-ad ot' a metal of lower melting )oint than said silicon iron. one end of said conductive. lead being em bedded in the solid silicon iron and in intimate mechanical and electrical contact therewith while physically separate and distincttherefrom; substantially as described.

2. An electrode composed of silicon iron having partially embedded therein a con ductive lead of copper. said conductive lead being in intimate mechanical and electrical contact with said silicon iron while physically separate and distinct therefrom: substantially as described.

3. An electrode of silicon iron having par tially embedded therein one or more conductive leads of a metal of lower melting point than said silicon iron', said conductive lead or leads being in intimate mechanical and electrical contact with said silicon iron while physically separate and distinct therefrom: substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ELIAS ANTHON CAPPELEN SMITH. 

